Paul Ousley

Paul Ousley has been bass professor at St. Olaf College for 25 years and in 2014 began directing orchestras at Northfield High School. His former students can be found playing in many orchestras and jazz venues including the Chicago Symphony, the New York Philharmonic, the Hong Kong Philharmonic, an the Principal of the Detroit Symphony. His career spans 30 years and seven colleges starting with a teaching assistantship at the Eastman School of Music. He has taught over 50 all-state musicians; winners of scholarships to the Julliard, Eastman, Guildhall and Manhattan schools of music, the Cleveland Institute as well as Rice, Northwestern, Indiana and Washington Universities; the Festivals of Round Top, Eastern and Aspen. His students have also won regional and international competitions including The Schubert Club, “Classical Idol” and the International Society of Bassists (both) Solo and Orchestral Competitions. Students from his studio also include four doctors and an Emmy Award winning writer for Saturday Night Live. Even with a busy teaching schedule, he continues to perform orchestral and jazz styles, especially a quaint group called Jivin’ Ivan and the Kings of Swing.

He is a frequent guest conductor/clinician for band and orchestra festivals, junior and senior high All-State ensembles and youth symphonies. His teachers include: the long-time Minnesota Orchestra bassist James Clute, James Van Demark (a Minnesota native), Stuart Sankey and Gary Karr.

Paul lives in Northfield with his wife Melissa, a classical music host on Minnesota Public Radio. They have two grown children: Parker and Amelia and may or may not have a cat.